A Burning World
by LogicAside
Summary: After 2 wars and a terrorist attack, The Land of Fire is on the verge of collapse. How will the country survive when its only military is occupied with weekly invasions?


**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 1: The Fire Dwindles**

**Timeline**

**December 22nd, 2015****:** 4th Great War Ends

**February 7th, 2016:** A bioterror attack conducted by former associates of Orochimaru cripples Hi no Kuni

**May 8th, 2025****:** The Virus, dubbed PF-179 or PyroFlu, mutates to cross-species infection.

**July 5th, 2025****:** Due to Food Shortages, Civil War Erupts in Hi no Kuni

**November 5th, 2025:**Civil War Ends with only 80% of Konoha's Population remaining

**November 28th, 2025****:** Seeing an opportunity, a joint invasion by Iwa and Kumo begins. This starts what is known as, **Operation: Extinguishing Flames.**

**December 29th, 2026:**With help from its allies, the war ends in favor of Konoha. With multiple successful attacks from Iwa and Kumo however, Konoha is on the verge of collapse

**January 2nd, 2027**

Naruto awoke with his head throbbing, the liquor still heavy on his breathe. Slowly, he got out of bed to open the blinds. He winced as the sun tortured him, beaming down on the window through the clouds. Quietly he made his way to the bathroom and gathered his clothing. He tiptoes his way to the window and gradually began to lift it.

Putting one foot through the window he felt the presence of someone watching him. Turning to the bed, he witnessed a confused Hinata. "Listen, about last night. I think we both know this was a mistake. Why don't we just forget what happened and stay friends?"

Her face began to sadden, and those beautiful tearful eyes were making Naruto feel like a horrible person. "But... you said we could try again."

"I know but..." He pulled his foot back through the window and closed it. "I was drunk. I didn't mean it."

"You're lying. You always look away when you lie."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest but decided against it. "I'm just afraid I'll lose you like the others." The thoughts of his fellow shinobi and sensei crossed his mind.

"That's the same excuse you stated the last time we broke up. Its obvious I'm not going anywhere." She patted the bed for Naruto to sit down. Naruto sat on the edge of the bed and looked to floor, remembering the fallen.

Hinata wrapped her arms around him and kissed a cheek. "I know you miss them. I miss them as well but we have to move forward with our lives."

"Its just so hard knowing it was my recklessness that costed his life. I just can't let something like that happen to you or anyone else I care for."

"I know Naruto... I know."

**Walking from Hinata's House**

Naruto slowly walked down main street, his peaked white and blue hoodie masking his face from the crowd. His blue jeans standing out as he strolled down the dull gray village. He looked to his left to see a pile of dead Kumo Shinobi being burned. The smell of burning flesh and bone filling his senses. "Kind of used to the stench now."

A young boy, no older than six ran up to him and put out his hands. Naruto shook his head and continued to walk. 'If you give him something, he'll only ask for more. He has to learn how to survive out here,' Naruto whispered to himself.

About a block ahead of him, he saw Sakura rubbing her ankle. He walked up to her and kneeled down. "Sup."

"Oh, hey Naruto."

"What's wrong?"

"My ankle is killing me. I hate wearing these things. Why can't we wear combat boots like the Genin?!" Yelled the frustrated pink haired woman.

As she continued to rub her ankle, Naruto had a clear view of her breast. Haruno Sakura was what most would call a 'Late Bloomer' as her breast didn't really begin to grow until her late teens. He looked at her white and pink combat vest. "New outfit?" Naruto asked.

"Yea, I'm trying something new."

"I like it."

"Thank you." She continued to rub her ankle even harder until Naruto took a hold of her wrist. "You have it too tight."

Naruto loosened the shoe and Sakura suddenly felt comfortable in them. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Naruto motioned her to walk with him, he liked the company of few friends he had left.

"It's tradition, a way to remember the old ways." said Naruto.

"I know, it just hurts my ankle sometimes. Where we going anyway, we need to be briefed?"

"I thought we could go see Iruka before we headed to the tower, is that ok with you?" Sakura nodded her head in response.

**Konoha Memorial**

"Hey Iruka." Naruto looked to the name on the stone. 'I know I've said this many times but, I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was all my fault. If I hadn't gone in that room, we both could have made it. I was so stupid to think Kiba was still alive. I should of known they killed him. Due to my recklessness, you ended up tortured and killed. I'm so sorry sensei!' thought Naruto.

Sakura put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. He returned it slightly.

Ever since the death of Umino Iruka and Inuzuka Kiba, Naruto was more of the quiet type. He rarely talked to anyone other than Hinata or his teammates. If ever at events he stood against the wall, staying out of sight and immersing himself in the music. The hyperactive shinobi was dead, and the silent soldier took him place.

**Hokage's Office**

Naruto stood against the wall, his hoodie hiding his face with headphones in his ears. He was so occupied listening to his music he didn't hear Sasuke and Kakashi enter the room.

Curious as to what he was playing, Sasuke took an earbud out Naruto's ear and placed it in his own. "You listen to Nero?" He asked surprisingly.

"They're good."

"I thought you liked rap?"

"I like both. You got a problem?"

"No."

"Good." Naruto paused his music and stood next to the others.

Tsunade stared at the group before her. "We have reason to believe an attack will be happening tonight. I want you to split into two teams. Kakashi, Naruto." They straightened up as they prepared for their orders. "I want you to patrol Main St. until 0400 hours. Shikamaru and Hinata will come to relieve you." She then looked to Sakura and Sasuke. "You two will patrol the Hyuuga compound, we have intel stating that will be a primary objective of the enemy. Now report to the armory and start your patrols."

**Armory**

"The usual?" asked the chubby man behind the bulletproof glass.

"Yes," said Kakashi. A Taurus 24/7 G2 9MM was placed in front of him. "Sign as always." Kakashi signed and stood back as the rest obtained their weapons.

"What do you want Ms. Picky?" Sakura scoffed at the insult.

"Just because I want the best out my weapon doesn't mean I'm picking."

"Last time you were here it took you an hour to decide! Now pick in the next five seconds or I pick for you!"

"Fine, just give me the same as last time asshole." The husky man placed two Suppressed Sig Sauer SP2022 Centerfire Pro Pistols in front of her with the clipboard to sign. "Fucking Bitch." Sakura just took her weapons and walked outside.

"What ya need Uchiha?"

"Did you get the bow I ordered?"

"As a matter a fact, it came in yesterday." He walked into the back room and came back with a case. When he opened it a majestic Bowtech Insanity CPX Compound Bow rested inside. He drooled at the sight of it. "You better take good care of this beauty!"

"Don't worry about it, no one will lay a finger on it."

Naruto walked up to the cage and slid a piece of paper to him. He read it and shook his head. "I can give you the 92 but you're not getting a Bushmaster. I only have one left and its for Ino."

"Let me worry about her, just give me the Bushmaster and put a red dot on it."

In front of Naruto was a Suppressed Bushmaster ACR with a T-1 Red Dot and a Beretta 92. He signed twice and strapped the rifle over his shoulder. "Let's get going."

**January 3rd, 2027 0320 hours**

"Damn! Naruto, I'm pinned down!" Yelled Kakashi as bullet after bullet continued to wiz by. Naruto created a kage bunshin and handed him his 92.

"I'll give you covering fire. When you're halfway between me and Kakashi-sensei, I want you to substitute with him. Got it?" The clone nodded his head to show he understood. "3... 2... 1... GO!"

Naruto hugged the corner of the building and began to fire upon the Kumo nin. "Butthurt shinobi, can't even admit losing fairly. Naruto aimed straight at a shinobi shooting at his clone. He fired two shots, one to the lung and the other to his left kidney. The man dropped to the ground. "One down, two more squads to go."

Naruto's made it halfway and substituted with Kakashi. Once out of cover, Kakashi made a mad dash for Naruto. He leaped behind the building and began to catch his breath, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

"Got any good ideas in that perverted head of yours?" asked Naruto.

"Just one. I'll hit them with a water jutsu and they will most likely try to repel it with a wall. Once that wall is up I want you make a dash up and onto the building, giving you the height advantage. Then take em out."

"Got it." Kakashi built up his chakra and lept out to perform the jutsu. As he jumped out however, a bullet went completely through his leg making him wince. He pushed through the pain and continued with the jutsu.

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!" An enormous water dragon sped towards the enemy shinobi and just as Kakashi planned they created a rock wall to shield themselves. Naruto ran up the side of the building and got into cover. Surprisingly though, instead of getting rid of the entire wall, the shinobi made holes to shoot out of and had their sights dead on Kakashi. "Now would a good time to attack Naruto!"

"Fūton: Rasenshuriken!" Naruto threw the rasengan at the kumo nin and obliterated them. He jumped off the building and ran to his clone who was with Kakashi. "Carry Kakashi-sensei to the nearest medic squad, I'm going to see if Sasuke and Sakura need any help."

"I'm fine Naruto," winced Kakashi.

"You were shot in the leg, you need to get it looked at. Take him."

Naruto made a dash for the Hyuuga compound while assisting any shinobi in need of help.

**Hyuuga Compound**

The last Kumo shinobi cowered in the corner of the compound as Sasuke held Kusanagi to his neck. He tried his best to not look in his eyes but it was futile. Once he glanced at him, he was immediately trapped by Sasuke's visual prowess.

Sasuke and Sakura look at him as he lifted his pistol to his head and blew his own brains out. Matter and blood painted the wall.

As Naruto entered the compound he could see charred bodies and a couple of men with holes the size of fists. "I assume you don't need my help then?"

"We're fine, but West Gate is getting pushed back fast. We need to hurry." Said Sasuke.

"If we go help the West Gate, then we'll be flanked from the south. We got reports that it was over run."

"Shikamaru and Hinata can handle the south, if we lose the West Gate then they have a clear march for the Hokage Tower. That gate is vital if we want to survive this."

"Naruto, you haven't said anything. What do you think we should do?" Asked Sakura.

Naruto is faced with a tough decision, should he:

**A) Go help the West Gate and prevent the enemy from having a shot at the Hokage Tower**

**B) Go stop the enemy flanking from the South and potentially save Hinata and Shikamaru**

**Option A**

"We can't lose the Hokage Tower Sakura. If they take out Tsunade, then its over." Sakura nodded and they headed for the West Gate.

As they made their way to the gate, they saw Tenten picking Kumo nin off one by one. Naruto jumped up the building and behind her as Sasuke and Sakura continued to the fire fight. He whistled as she took another shot, the rifle causing her butt to slightly jiggle. She turned around and stood up. "Like what you see?" She asked.

"Yes I do, and damn does she look sexy!" Tenten blushed at his compliment. "I mean, the XM2010 is hot! Can I just shoot it once?!" Tenten left eye suddenly began to twitch with frustration.

"No, you can't. Now get down there and hold the gate.

Naruto leapt off the building and slid to cover next to Ino. Ino looked at the weapon and sighed. Since Naruto took her ACR, she decided to go with her usual HK USP 9MM. "So, how does it handle?" She asked.

"It has good stability and great accuracy with the red dot. I haven't missed a shot yet."

"Good, cause when this is over. I want is back."

"No problem."

The small platoon with the help of Squad 7 repealed the Kumo shinobi and won the battle for Konoha.

The attack from the South was successfully fought back as well at the cost of Shikamaru's life. By dawn, when the attack was over, only sixty-five percent of Konoha's military force remained.

**Option B**

**S. 29th St**

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Asked Hinata

"I came to help, where is Shikamaru?" Hinata pointed to a tent and ran to her position.

The three shinobi walked into the tent and looked at a stressed Shikamaru. He looked up and a small smile of relief was plastered on his face. "Thank Kami you're here, I don't think me the fireteam could have done this ourselves. I need you to distract the shinobi with a couple clones while Sasuke can surround them with Amaterasu. Got it?"

They nodded and executed the plan perfectly.

The attack from the West Gate was successfully fought back as well but cost heavy casualties. Ino's bloody body was among them. By dawn, when the attack was over, only forty-five percent of Konoha's military force remained.

**That's the first chapter, please review and choose an option. The one with the most votes will select how the next chapter goes!**


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